Parts of speech

Parts of Speech
1. THE NOUN
A noun names a person, a place, a thing or an idea.
Persons doctor Travelers family Hassan
Places restaurant Islands wilderness Islamabad
Things computer Sailboats Books plant
Ideas education beliefs determination utopianism
Types of Noun
1. Proper Noun:
A proper noun names a particular person, place, thing or idea.
Examples: Ali, Hamna, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Independence Day etc
2. Common Noun:
A common noun names any one of a group of persons, places, things or ideas.
Examples: man, nation, market, school, holiday, language, event etc
3. Collective Noun:
The singular form of a collective noun names a group of persons or things.
Examples: family, police, team, pack, jury, swarm, cluster, bouquet, bunch, etc
4. Concrete Noun:
A concrete noun names a person, place, or thing that can be perceived by one or more
of the senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell).
Examples: student, fire, cotton, horse, parliament etc
5. Abstract Noun:
An abstract noun names an idea, a feeling, a quality or a characteristic.
Examples: strength, charm, ability, confidence, happiness, childhood etc
2. THE PRONOUN
A pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns or pronouns.
Examples:
Aslam borrowed a hammer and some nails. He will return them tomorrow. (The pronoun he
takes the place of the noun Aslam. The pronoun them takes the place of nouns hammer and
nails.
Several of the students have participated in the essay writing competition because they are
extremely interested in the topic. (The pronoun they takes the place of the pronoun several)
Note: The word that a pronoun stands for is called the antecedent of the pronoun.
Types of Pronoun
1. Personal Pronoun:
A personal pronoun refers to the one speaking (first person), the one spoken to (second
person), or the person spoken about (third person).
First Person I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours
Second Person you, your, yours
Third Person he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, their,
theirs
Examples: I hope that you can help me with my homework.
He said that they would meet us outside the theater.
2. Demonstrative Pronoun:
A demonstrative pronoun points out a specific person, place, thing or idea.
This That these those
Examples:
This is my favourite book.
That is my house.
The apples I purchased yesterday tasted better than these.
Those are the boys who earned name for their country.
3. Relative Pronoun:
A relative pronoun introduces a relative clause (usually adjective clause). It is called a "relative"
pronoun because it "relates" to the word (usually noun or pronoun) that its relative clause
modifies.
Who Which That whose whom
Examples:
Ali is the student who won the first position.
Here is a book which might be of help for you.
The house that you saw is a historical landmark.
She is the lady whose son got injured in the accident.
He is the doctor whom you consulted last year.
4. Interrogative Pronoun:
An interrogative pronoun introduces a question.
what Which Who whose whom
Examples:
What is the correct answer to this question?
Which is your book?
Who is at the door?
Whose is this book?
Who are you looking for?
5. Indefinite Pronoun:
An indefinite pronoun refers to a person, a place, a thing, or an idea that may or may
not be specifically named.
all each other More one
another Everybody Most other

any Everyone Much several
anybody Everything nobody some
anything Few None somebody
both Many no one someone
each nothing something
such
Examples:
I have packed everything.
Has anyone seen my glasses?
There is nobody in the office.
One should be careful while driving.
Many are present while few are absent.
Nothing is useless in this world.
6. Reflexive and Emphatic (Intensive) Pronouns:
First Person myself, ourselves
Second Person yourself, yourselves
Third Person himself, herself, itself, themselves
A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of a sentence and functions as:

a. a complement. e.g He is not himself today.
b. a direct object. e.g I hurt myself.
c. an indirect object. e.g The cat gave itself a bath.
d. an object of a preposition. e.g He wrote a note to himself.
An emphatic (intensive) pronoun emphasizes its antecedent.
My father and I repaired the car ourselves.

The weather itself seemed to be our enemy.
7. Distributive pronoun:
Distributive pronoun refers to persons, places, things, or ideas one at a time.
each Either Neither
Examples:
Each of the boys is working hard.
Either of the questions is out of course.
Neither of the allegations are true.
Exercise 1: Identifying and Classifying Pronouns
Identity and classify the pronouns in the following sentences.
1. Sara brought her mother a rose which grew in the garden.
2. The man on whose help I relied was absent
3. They exerted such energy as they could.
4. What is in the bag?
5. To be or not to be, that is the question.
6. The owner himself killed the dog.
7. How I have performed my task, let others judge.
8. Either of the letters was sent to me by my mother.
9. He killed himself with a knife.
10. One must mind one’s own business.
Answers:
1. which 2 whose 3 they 4 what 5 that

(relative) (relative) (personal) (interrogative) (demonstrative)
6 himself 7 others 8 either 9 himself 10 one (indefinite)

(emphatic) (indefinite) (distributive) (reflexive)
3. THE ADJECTIVE
An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun by making its meaning more definite. Adjectives
generally tell the quality, number or quantity of persons, places, things or ideas denoted by
nouns or pronouns.
Examples:
The wild and graceful deer ran through the forest.
Last weekend I bought ten books.
There is some water in the tank.
Types of Adjective
1. Descriptive Adjective (Adjective of Quality/ Qualitative Adjective)
It describes a noun or a pronoun by telling its quality. It answers the question “what kind?”
Examples:
The beautiful flowers have a nice smell.
Early bird catches the best worm.
A rolling stone gathers no mass.
2. Adjective of Quantity/ Quantitative Adjective
It describes a noun or a pronoun by telling its quantity. It answers the question “how
much?”
Note: Adjective of Quantity describes uncountable nouns.
Examples:
There was little water in the pool.
Is there any hope of his recovery?

He didn’t have enough money to buy the gift.
3. Adjective of Number
It describes a noun or a pronoun by telling its number. It answers the question “how
msny?”
Note: Adjective of Number describes countable nouns.
Examples:
Several houses were wiped out as a result of heavy flood.
There are few students in the class.
These days, people carry two cell phones with them.
4. Proper Adjective:
An adjective that is formed from a proper noun is called a proper adjective.
Proper Nouns Proper Adjectives
Pakistan Pakistani players
Islam Islamic teachings
Shakespeare Shakespearian style
Christmas Christmas tree
TITBIT:
Adjective or Pronoun?
A word may be used as one part of speech in one context and as a different part of speech in
another context. For example, the following words may be used as adjectives or pronouns.
all each More one such those
another either Most other that what
any few Much several these which
both many Neither some this whose

Remember the words in the above list will be adjectives when they modify a noun or a
pronoun; they will be pronouns when they take the place of a noun.
1.1 ADJECTIVE: He wrote these stories. [these modifies the noun stories] [these is
demonstrative adjective]
1.2 PRONOUN: He wrote these. [these takes the place of the noun stories][these is
demonstrative pronoun]
2.1 ADJECTIVE: Which museum did you visit? [which modifies the noun museum] [which is
interrogative adjective]
2.2 PRONOUN: Which did you visit? [which takes the place of the noun museum][which is
interrogative pronoun]
3.1 ADJECTIVE: All students were present yesterday. [all modifies the noun students] [all is
adjective of number]
3.2 PRONOUN: All had done their homework. [all takes the place of the noun students][all is
indefinite pronoun]
Adjective or Noun?
Some words can be used as nouns or adjectives.
Nouns Adjectives
Business business letters
Cricket cricket team
United States United States government
Chief chief secretary
Exercise 2: Identifying Nouns, Pronouns and Adjectives
Tell whether each underlined word in the following sentences is used as a noun, a pronoun, or
an adjective.
1. Many shopkeepers decided to close their shops early.

(a) Noun (b) Pronoun (c) Adjective
2. What are the other options?
(a)Noun (b) Pronoun (c) Adjective
3. The ancient books were found packed in dynamite boxes.
4. We had a family gathering at my grandparents’ house last Sunday.
5. As people encounter different ways of life, they gradually alter their speech patterns.
6. The world has become a global village thanks to the digital advancement.
7. Most of the guests arrived in time.
8. I had never bought that brand before.
9. One of the players was nervous.
10. To which bookstore did you go?
Answers
1 (c) 2 (b) 3 (a) 4 (c) 5 (a)
6 (c) 7 (b) 8 (c) 9 (b) 10 (c)
4. THE VERB
A verb expresses action or state of being. Verbs are classified as (1) action or linking verbs,
(2) helping or main verbs and (3) transitive or intransitive verbs.
Action Verbs and Linking Verbs:
An action verb expresses either physical or mental activity.
Physical travel Sit Play write build
Mental recall Think Consider believe learn
Examples:
The ancient Egyptians constructed elaborate tombs for their rulers. [The verb constructed
expresses physical activity]
Do you remember the writer we met on our vacation last summer? [The verb phrase Do remember
expresses metal activity]
A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word group in the predicate that identifies
or describes the subject. Such a word or word group is called subject complement.
Examples:
Patience is the best solution to many problems. [The subject complement solution
identifies the subject Patience.]
He became a highly respected artist. [The subject complement artist identifies the subject
He.]
The dessert tastes delicious. [The subject complement delicious describes the subject
dessert.]
Commonly Used Linking Verbs
Forms of Be
am Be will be had been
is can be could be shall have been
are may be should be will have been
was might be would be could have been
were must be has been should have been
being shall be have been would have been

Others Common Linking Verbs
Appear Grow Seem Stay
Become Look Smell Taste
Feel Remain Sound Turn
Some verbs may be used as linking verbs or as action verbs.
LINKING The soup tasted spicy.

ACTION We tasted the soup.
LINKING She felt good after taking rest.

ACTION The explorers felt rain on their faces.
LINKING Teenagers grow taller rapidly.

ACTION They grow pomegranates in their garden.
The forms of verb be are not always used as linking verbs. They may be followed by the
words that tell where or when. Used in this way, be is referred to as a state-of-being verb.
Example:
My relatives from Karachi will be here tomorrow. [The verb will be is followed by here,
which tells where, and tomorrow, which tells when.]
Main Verbs and Helping Verbs

A verb phrase consists of at least one main verb and one or more helping verbs (also called
auxiliary verbs).
Examples:
Akbar will be arriving at 3:00 p.m. [will and be are the helping verbs; arriving is the main
verb.]
He should not have been told about his surprise party. [Should, have, and been are the
helping verbs. Told is the main verb]
Commonly Used Helping Verbs
Forms of be am is Are was
Were be Being been

Forms of Have Has have Having had
Forms of Do do Does Doing did
May Can could
Modals Might Shall should
Must Will would
Note: Like a one word verb, a verb phrase may be classified as action or linking.
Examples:
I have read every book by Paulo Coelho. [action]
Is the baby sleeping? [action]
He has been a teacher since 2010. [linking]
A modal is helping verb that is joined with main verb to express an attitude such as ability,
necessity, possibility, permission, advice, prohibition etc.
Examples:
He can swim. [ability]
We must be on time if we want to catch the plane. [necessity]
Uncle Rene said that the entire front of the house may need to be replaced. [possibility]
Can I use your cell phone? [permission]
You should revise your lesson. [advice]
You must not smoke. [prohibition]
Helping verbs may be separated from main verb by other words.

Examples:
Should we leave immediately?
I have not read Orhan Pamuk’s latest novel.
Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb has an object – a word that tells who or what receives the action.
Examples:
Every one cheered the team during the final match. [The object team receives the action of
cheered.]
Shakespeare wrote poems. [The object poems receives the action of wrote.]
An intransitive verb does not have an object.

Examples:
The mother smiled at her baby.
Suddenly, the child screamed loudly.
Note: some verbs can be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another.
TRANSITIVE We ate mangoes quickly.
INTRASNITIVE We ate quickly.
TRANSITIVE The carpenter measured the boards carefully.

INTRASNITIVE The carpenter measured carefully.
5. THE ADVERB
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
An adverb tells how, when, where, how often, or to what extent (how much or how long).
Adverbs Modifying Verbs

Examples:
The player performed magnificently. [how] [adverb of manner]
The player performed earlier. [when] [adverb of time]
The player performed there. [where] [adverb of place]
The player performed twice. [how often] [adverb of frequency]
The player performed widely. [to what extent] [adverb of degree]
Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

Examples:
The player is exceptionally skillful. [The adverb exceptionally modifies the adjective skillful,
telling to what extent.]
The documentary about global warming was good enough. [The adverb enough modifies
the adjective good, telling to what extent]
Adverbs Modifying Other Adverbs

Examples:
Cheetah can run extremely fast. [The adverb extremely modifies the adverb fast, telling to
what extent]
He reacted to the bad news rather calmly. [The adverb rather modifies the adverb calmly,
telling to what extent]
Note: Some adverbs can begin questions.

Examples:
Where are you going?
When will you return?
TITBIT:
Nouns or Adverbs?
Some words may be used as nouns or adverbs.

Examples:
NOUN: They returned to their home.
ADVERB: They returned home before noon.
NOUN: Yesterday was a rainy day.

ADVERB: We discussed this matter with the boss yesterday.
Exercise 3: Classifying Adverbs:
Classify adverbs in the following sentences by choosing the correct option.
1. The bird flies swiftly.

(a)Manner (b) Time (c) Place (d) Frequency (e) Degree
2. Ali came today.
3. The man worked here.
4. The boy was very sick.
5. Alice talked too fast.
6. Henceforth I will study more diligently.
7. She is almost always cheerful.
8. He hardly works hard.
9. These mangoes are partly ripe.

10. He was ordered to go out.
Answers
1 (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (e) 5 (a)
6 (e) 7 (d) 8 (d) 9 (e) 10 (c)
3. THE PREPOSITION
A preposition shows the relation of noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition,
to another word.
Notice how the preposition in the following examples show different relationships between
the words ran (the verb) and me (the object of each preposition).
Examples:
The playful puppy ran beside me.
The playful puppy ran toward me.
The playful puppy ran around me.
The playful puppy ran past me.
The playful puppy ran after me.
The playful puppy ran behind me.
The playful puppy ran in front of me.
A preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object form a prepositional phrase.
Commonly Used Prepositions
about Beneath in through
above Beside inside throughout
across Besides into To
after Between like toward
against Beyond near under
along but (meaning off underneath

except)
among off until
around By on unto
as Down out Up
at During outside upon
before Except over with
behind For past within
below From sine without
A preposition that contains two or more words is a compound preposition.
Commonly Used Compound Prepositions
according to because of in spite of
along with by means of instead of
apart from in addition to next to
aside from in front of on account of
as of in place of out of
Examples:
Everything took place according to the plan.
I am going on a trip along with my friends.
His house is next to the famous museum.
You can win your goal by means of consistent hard work.
4. THE CONJUNCTION
A conjunction joins words or word groups.
Coordinating Conjunctions
A coordinating conjunction joins words or word groups that are used in the same way.
Coordinating Conjunctions
for And nor but
or Yet so
Examples:
We found a bat and a ball. [The conjunction and connects two words]
They may be hiding in the attic or in the basement. [The conjunction or connects two
phrases.]
They put in their best efforts but it was not their day. [The conjunction but connects two
clauses.]
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are the pairs of conjunctions that join words or word groups that
are used in the same way.
Correlative Conjunctions
both…and not only… but (also)
either…or whether…or
neither…nor although…yet
Examples:
Both teachers and students are in the hall. [connects two words]
We searched the book not only in libraries but also in book shops. [connects two phrases]
I don’t care whether you drive or he drives. [connects two clauses]
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions begins a subordinate clause and connects it to an independent
clause.
Commonly Used Subordinating Conjunctions
after Because since when
although Before so that whenever
as even though than where
as if How that wherever
as much as If through whether
as though in order that unless while
as well as Provided until why

Examples:
We arrived late because our train was delayed.
The doctor listened quietly while his patient explained his problem.
A subordinating conjunction does not always come between the groups of words it joins; it
may come at the beginning of a sentence.
Examples:
While his patient explained his problem, the doctor listened quietly.
Note: Some words can be either prepositions or subordinating conjunctions.

PREPOSITION After winning the game, we celebrated.
SUBORDINATING After we won the game, we celebrated.
CONJUNCTION
TITBIT
Adverb or Preposition or Conjunction?
Some words may be used as prepositions or adverbs or even conjunctions depending upon
the functions they perform in a sentence.
ADVERB: I have seen you before. [before modifies the verb seen]
PREPOSITION: He came before time. [before shows the relationship of the noun time to the verb came]
CONJUNCTION: He went away before I came. [before joins two clauses]
Exercise 4: Identifying Adverbs, Prepositions and Conjunctions
Tell whether each underlined word in the following sentences is used as an adverb, a
preposition, or a conjunction.
1. He takes after his father.

(a) Adverb (b) Preposition (c) Conjunction
2. We went away after they had left.

(a) Adverb (b) Preposition (c) Conjunction
3. None but the brave deserve glory.

(a)Adverb (b) Preposition (c) Conjunction
4. We tried hard, but did not succeed.
5. Shall we look anywhere else?

6. Make haste, else you will miss the train.

7. All the brethren were in Egypt except Benjamin.

8 I will not let thee go except you permit.

9. he bought a book for me.

10. He works hard for he has some dream to fulfill.

Answers
1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (b) 4 (c) 5 (a)
6 (c) 7 (b) 8 (c) 9 (b) 10 (c)
5. THE INTERJECTION
An interjection expresses emotions and has no grammatical relation to the rest of the sentence.
Examples:
Ah hey Opps oh-ho Whew
Aha oh Ouch Well Wow
An interjection is often set off from the rest of the sentence by an exclamation point or a
comma. An exclamation point indicates strong emotion. A comma indicates mild emotion.
Examples:
Ouch! That hurts!
Well, I think you should apologize to her.
Determining Parts of Speech

The way a word is used in sentence determines what part of speech the word is.
Examples:
The couch decided that the team needed more practice. [noun]
The players practice every day in the morning. [verb]
They will have a practice session after on the weekend. [adjective]
Dublin, Ireland, was the home of the writer James Joyce. [noun]
The last home game will be played tomorrow night. [adjective]
We decided to stay home. [adverb]
He had won the award before. [adverb]
The two candidates debated each other before the election. [preposition]
Read the directions before you begin answering the questions. [conjunction}

Parts of speech

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Parts of speech

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Parts of Speech

A noun names a person, a place, a thing or an idea.

Persons doctor Travelers family Hassan

Places restaurant Islands wilderness Islamabad

Things computer Sailboats Books plant

Ideas education beliefs determination utopianism

First Person I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours

Second Person you, your, yours

Examples: I hope that you can help me with my homework.

He said that they would meet us outside the theater.

A demonstrative pronoun points out a specific person, place, thing or idea.

This That these those

This is my favourite book.

The apples I purchased yesterday tasted better than these.

Who Which That whose whom

Ali is the student who won the first position.

Here is a book which might be of help for you.

The house that you saw is a historical landmark.

She is the lady whose son got injured in the accident.

He is the doctor whom you consulted last year.

what Which Who whose whom

What is the correct answer to this question?

Which is your book?

Who is at the door?

Whose is this book?

Who are you looking for?

all each other More one

another Everybody Most other

anybody Everything nobody some

anything Few None somebody

both Many no one someone

each nothing something

6. Reflexive and Emphatic (Intensive) Pronouns:

First Person myself, ourselves

Second Person yourself, yourselves

Third Person himself, herself, itself, themselves

A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of a sentence and functions as:

An emphatic (intensive) pronoun emphasizes its antecedent.

My father and I repaired the car ourselves.

Exercise 1: Identifying and Classifying Pronouns

Identity and classify the pronouns in the following sentences.

1. Sara brought her mother a rose which grew in the garden.

2. The man on whose help I relied was absent

3. They exerted such energy as they could.

4. What is in the bag?

5. To be or not to be, that is the question.

6. The owner himself killed the dog.

7. How I have performed my task, let others judge.

8. Either of the letters was sent to me by my mother.

9. He killed himself with a knife.

10. One must mind one’s own business.

1. which 2 whose 3 they 4 what 5 that

6 himself 7 others 8 either 9 himself 10 one (indefinite)

The wild and graceful deer ran through the forest.

Last weekend I bought ten books.

There is some water in the tank.

1. Descriptive Adjective (Adjective of Quality/ Qualitative Adjective)

The beautiful flowers have a nice smell.

Early bird catches the best worm.

A rolling stone gathers no mass.

2. Adjective of Quantity/ Quantitative Adjective

Note: Adjective of Quantity describes uncountable nouns.

There was little water in the pool.

Is there any hope of his recovery?